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COURSE CARE

Water Tests...It's That Time of Year
February 27, 2015

Water Tests...It's That Time of Year

By Bud White, Director, Mid-Continent
Region
October 16, 2008

The fall season brings a slow down to golf course
maintenance, and, after taking a little breather (hopefully),
time to begin planning for the off season. This task always
involves budget preparation and the winter project 'to do'
list, but it also is a time to test soils and water.

A sampling of greens, tees, fairways and roughs is important
every year so that fertility and soil amendment programs can be
built and detailed to the needs of the individual areas on the
course.

I want to express one concern we see as a staff, which is
the ever-growing use of the saturated paste extract test (SPE)
as a measure of nutrient needs in soils. Do not fall into this
cycle of recommendations because nutrients cannot be accurately
measured from SPE tests-only salts and boron. Below are links
to two excellent articles that plainly explain the values and
application of SPE soil tests. Basic soil chemical tests are
still the basis with which to evaluate soil chemistry
conditions and build fertility programs.

Irrigation water also should be tested now. The proper water
test is called an 'irrigation suitability test'. This test
provides the information needed to evaluate water treatment
and/or soil amendment appropriate programs. The sample should
be taken from an irrigation head, not dipped out of the
reservoir. It also should be collected at the completion of the
irrigation cycle the night before so that the sample is fresh
and is exactly as the turf received the water.

Make some time to take full advantage of the conference
season and catch up on friendships and the latest in golf
course management.

We strongly urge you to visit the USGA Web site at
www.usga.org/turf
to learn more about the Green Section programs and to stay
up-to-date on Mid-Continent activities via our Regional Update,
bringing you new information every two weeks.

If you would like more information about a Turf Advisory
Service visit, please contact either of the Mid-Continent
regional offices: Bud White, (972) 662-1138 or (
budwhite@usga.org
) and Ty McClellan,
tmcclellan@usga.org
or (630) 340-5853.